15.03.2020 - 16:10 UTC
As the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) epidemic continues to spread to new countries on a daily basis, airlines are cutting capacity to a variety of destinations in an attempt to reduce operating costs as demand plummets. In some countries, national authorities are taking the lead and closing access to and from various markets in order to stem the spread of the virulent virus. A summary of the latest developments can be found listed by country below.
Middle East:
- Austrian Airlines (OS, Vienna) has extended its moratorium on flights to Tehran Imam Khomeini from March 31 until April 30;
- From February 27, the Bahrain Civil Aviation Affairs (CAA) department has announced the suspension of all flights to and from Iraq and Lebanon until further notice. The CAA also temporarily suspended all flights arriving from Dubai Int'l and Sharjah in the UAE;
- Emirates (EK, Dubai Int'l) has suspended its flights from Dubai to Kuwait between March 14 and March 31, to Tehran Imam Khomeini from February 26 until further notice, and to...
Editorial Comment: Updated on February 28 with information from Asiana Airlines, Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, Twin Jet and Cabo Verde Airlines.
Updated on March 2 with information from American Airlines, easyJet, Hawaiian Airlines, Montenegro Ministry of Health, Turkish Airlines, CSA Czech Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Syrianair, Cham Wings, Oman CAA, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.
Updated on March 3 with information from El Al, Qatar Airways, Ryanair, Samoan government, and Vietnam Airlines.
Updated on March 4 with information from American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Finnair, LATAM Airlines, SAS, SilkAir, Singapore Airlines and Spring Airlines Japan.
Updated on March 5 with information from All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines, Citilink, Delta Air Lines, Pegasus Airlines and SkyUp Airlines.
Updated on March 6 with information from Lufthansa Group.
Updated on March 9 with information from Air Astana, Alitalia, All Nippon Airways, and Bangkok Airways and Saudi Arabian Airlines.
Updated on March 10 with information from Air Busan, Austrian Airlines, Qatar Airways and Royal Air Maroc.
Updated on March 11 with information from American Airlines and Delta Air Lines.
Updated on March 12 with information from Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air Malta, Air Seychelles, Albanian Government, All Nippon Airways, Azerbaijan Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, Finnair, the Hungarian government, Iberia, KLM, Civil Aviation Authority of Kosovo, Oman Air, Philippine Airlines, the Qatari government, Silver Air, StarFlyer, Tarom, Thai Airways, Vietnam Airlines, Volotea, and Wizz Air.
Updated on March 13 with information from Aeroflot, Austrian Airlines, Druk Air and Swiss.
Updated on March 15 with Loganair, Curacao, the Philippines.
Updated on March 16 with Thai AirAsia X, Jet2 and TUI Group. - 16.03.2020 - 17:07 UTC
11.02.2020 - 14:31 UTC
Air Italy (IG, Milan Malpensa) has ceased all operations as of Tuesday, February 11, after its shareholders, Alisarda Group (owned by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED)) and Qatar Airways Group, which own the carrier's parent firm AQA Holding in a 51/49 partnership, elected to liquidate the loss-making carrier.
The airline said in a statement that from February 11 to 25 (including departures on the morning of February 26, 2020, for domestic flights to Milan Malpensa and from Malé and Dakar Blaise Diagne Int'l airports), all of its flights would be operated by other carriers at the times and on the days previously scheduled. However, those passengers who booked flights, outward or return, after February 25, 2020, will be re-booked or reimbursed.
Formerly Meridiana fly (IG, Olbia), Air Italy has struggled to gain traction despite Qatar Airways' accession to its shareholding in 2018. In 2019, Italian media said it had lost nearly EUR200 million euros (USD218 million) alone. Unable to secure renewed funding, and with...
